The Grow Model

The Happiness Formula that we shared last week, went like this:

Gratitude + Purpose = Happiness

Yet, the story of living isn't complete! If you are going to live a life of purpose and be thankful, you are going to face the odd challenge nevertheless, dare I say it Crisis. Now, we can deal with those challenges if we have a positive focus and one of the ways of seeing life through a positive lens is to seek to grow rather than groan!

Let me introduce you to the “GROW” model. It was originally created by Sir John Whitmore in 1992 from the book “Coaching for Performance”.

The book became the coaching bible for managers and executive coaches alike, selling over a million copies in 23 languages. There have been a few variations around the theme but the premise remains the same.

So, let’s walk through and see how it works:

GROW in this case has four stages.

The G is Goal, the R is Reality, the O is the Opportunity and the W is the way forward.

Goal - Never lose sight of your ‘why’! It’s what drives you! In the process towards progress you’ll break this larger goal down into smaller, more achievable goals. A sports team wins a title by winning one game, then another, and then another. One game at a time. Goals and points.

It is important to have goals. What are yours? Be specific.

You might have a goal to become an international business but first you have to win your first international client.

Can people buy from you from another country? How would they pay? What do you need to do to make that possible? An achievable goal in this instance would be to create a website that takes payments. That is breaking down a bigger goal into a manageable step forward.

Reality - This is where you get honest about what and where you really are. Be real.

In the above example, you need to think about your website but also research around timezones, shipping, culture and even travel. The reality you face now helps you process the journey you are looking to embark on. You need to think differently when it’s time to grow.

This isn’t about having all the answers, it is about sharing where you are and being honest in that. The desired outcomes are a result of putting in the work BUT you have to know what that work looks like.

Opportunity - The shift to success. This is what sets people apart. Challenges are not excuses for inaction. Challenges are simply opportunities in disguise. When I started my US journey the opportunity going from 68 million to 350 million was something obvious but overlooked.

Overwhelming but exciting. The key to being able to handle it all is having the right people around you!

So what opportunities exist? Why not work them out with a hot pen? Or, in other words, just write things down without overthinking them. Get it down, get it out.

Another way we do it at HUM4NS is by getting each individual to share their first two challenges and the group then looks for the opportunities without the individual saying anything.

The individual who shares their challenges will naturally want to give more information on what won’t work and even sometimes become defensive. What we have found is that having less information can help to solve problems! I’ve worked in code for years (I have a software company called Di9ital) and not knowing how to code has been a superpower when it comes to solving challenges - the limitations help you search for solutions!

Sometimes your greatest wins come from doing something unconventional. For me, it was getting on a plane using some old air miles I had saved and putting boots on the ground in the U.S. It opened doors for me. My team encouraged me to get on with it and take the plunge!

Way Forward - It is good to know, BUT you have to go.

When you have the information you need, it’s time to plan the way forward. Pick the things that resonate and don’t hesitate.

Commit to them. Concentrate on progress, not perfection.

That is the focus. As you commit, you grow!

You move upward by putting your foot on the first rung of the ladder then the next. As you do your expectations rise! Too often, we get overwhelmed when we have no answers but, if we concentrate on each step we’ll see our answers start to materialise.

The GROW model is a great way of becoming happier by being smarter as it will help you make decisions in the day-to-day!

Let’s grow together!